Hypodermic syringes



Sept. 15, 1959 B. FRIEDMAN HYPODERMIC SYRINGES F-iled Feb. 10, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. BL'NJAM/N I e/5on4 B Y Y Q ATTOQ/YEY Sept.15, 1959 B. FRIEDMAN HYPODERMIC SYRINGES Filed Feb. 10, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 2 M mm a T m m 0 V; m a 2 m m PN K M n m a T S w w Hull W mA %s L 22: V z

United States Patent HYPODERMIC SYRINGES Benjamin Friedman, New York,NY.

Application February 10; 1954, Serial No. 409,440 11 Claims.-(Cl..128--218) This invention relates to'hypodermic syringes.

In my prior co-pending application Ser. No. 331,616, filedlanuary 16;1953, thereare di'sclosed'several novel syringe devices. The presentinvention resides inseveral improvements over the device of said priorapplication;

More specifical1y,. it is an object of the present invention to providein a device of thecharacterdescribed a. novelspacer element toallow forutilization of cartridges which are shorter than the maximum sizeaccommodated by the device.

Another object is to provide a device of the character describedcomprising a tube having a threaded open end; athreadedbearing-member inengagement with said threaded tube end, a rod reciprocally slidablymounted insaidbearing member, said spacer element being inengagementwith said bearing member whereby rotation of the latter causes .it to beadjusted axially to urge the-spacer element. into abutting engagementwith the. undersize cartridge" and thereby clamp the latter in properfixed position within the tube, so asnot to be dislocated duringaspirationof blood.

A further object is toprovide the spacer element and the bearing. memberwith interlitting cylindrical portions having engaging abutting shouldersurfaces.v

Another. objectis to. provide a device. of'thecharact'erdescribediwhereinmany of the parts disclosed as separate elementsinsaidprior applicationare now formedintegral with the. tuberin. thepresent forms of; theinvention resultingiin a more durable, efficient,andieconomical! structime.

, Aiurther. object istoprovide anovelmeans. fer mount? ing thehypodermic needle to the tube, the latter being providedwithaborehaving. a taperediinner end and'an internally-threadedouter end, the.needle having a tapered hub. received within-the. tapered end'ofthebore, ancLa needle retaining member. having: an externally threadedportion in threaded engagement within the internallyendroftheboreandengaging the needle hub to press the latter into. tightsecuredrrelation: within. the tapered: end of; the bore.

Still another object is to provide a novel. syringe combiningstheobjectsandadvantages noted abovewith those I Fig. 3 is a transversesectionalview online 3-3r of Fig: 4'is aisid'e elevationalview of theembodimentof l with: an; auxiliary: member: attached? theretm for mountingalsecondcartrid'getor'a dissolving; operation;

ice

Fig. 5' is a longitudinal sectionalview on line 5-501 Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the auxiliary member;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal, sectional viewof another em= bodiment of theinvention; and

Fig. 8 is a partial sectional view'showing' the device of Figs; 1 to 6having therein'adifierent'typeofcartridge wherein the plunger isprovided with a male threaded securing element instead of a femalethreaded element.

Referring nowto the-drawing inim'ore' detail; the refer ence numeral 11indicates generally a preferred embodiment of a syringe in accordancewiththe present invention and comprising a hollow longitudinal tube 12of cylin drical configuration. Tube 12 maybe formed ofimetal; plastic,glass or other suitable material andits wall 13 is provided withoppositely disposed openings. 1'4; 15: The latter. allow a cartridge 16tobeinserted therethrough into the interior of tube .12 andalso permitvisual examina tion of the cartridge 16 whenthedevice 11 is in use, aswill be explained in morev detailbelow.

As shown in Fig. 2, the. upper. end'of' tube 12: is en= larged at 17"and is provided'withan annular hand-engageable flange 18 integraltherewith. Tube 12 is open at said upper. endand'is internally. threadedat 19; The lower end of tube 12 is closed by an intergral bottom wall 20having a counterb'oredrecess 21 of lesser'diameter than that of thehollow interior of: the major portion oftube 12;

A bearing member 22*i-s externally threaded at 23 to engage within thethreaded'portion 19of"tube.12, whereby. beating member 221may. beadjusted'axially of tube" 12 by gripping and rotating the knurled sleeveportion 24 thereof. The latter is provided with a cylindricalibea ringopening 24' slidably and rotatably receiving a long i tudinalcylindrical rod 25 the lower portion of. which extends inwardly into theinterior of tube 12, the opposite outer end of rod' 25 extendingoutwardly of bearing member 22.

Secured to the outermost end. of rod' 25 is an externally threadedmember 26 having threadedly mounted thereon a second hand-engageablemeans comprising a handlengageable knob 27. It will'beobvious that whenthe middle and index fingers engage the lower surface of flange 18 thethumb may engage the top surface-28 of knob- 27 tourge rod 25 downwardlyor inwardly with respecttotube 1 2. Thus flange.18"and.knob 27constitute a pair of hand-engageabl'e means for moving the knob relativeto the tube 12'.

The inner endof' rod 25 is externally threadeda't29 and an internallythreaded sleeve 30 is threadedly mounted thereon and may be rotated soas to be ad jnsted axially of, rod2 5. The innermost end of rod 25 hasan externally threaded member 31' of reduced diameterprojectingtherefrom. Threaded member 31i provided withan internallythreaded bore 52". (Fig. 8) for a purpose to. be described The loweror.inner end' of bearingmember 22" is' pro.- vided with a hollowcylindrical portion .33having aplanar end surface 34. Ahollowcylindrical, spacer. element.35 is shown within tube 12but. is easilyremovable. there.- from. Theinterior surface ofltheupper end ofIspacerelement 35'is counterbored att3'6 to. receive cylindrical portion33. ofbearing member. 22.. The. end surface 3.4v0f the latter.abuts.againsttheshoulder 37 onthe interior wall surface of spacere1ement'35" The cartridge 16 maybe of conventionalconstruction andcomprises a cylindrical: glass. vial.- 38 containing a fiuidtto beinjected. The-lower.- end of". cartridge 16 rests within. counterboredrecess: 21: of t bottom wall:- 20 and- .is closed by a. cap 39 genera-lly ofi metal and having acene trally-disposed rubber or plasticplug 49 ",and a seal-ing diaphragm 50. The peripheral edge of cap 39 isbent about the flange 51 of vial 38.

The upper end of the latter is open and is normally sealed bya rubberplunger 52 reciprocally slidable therein and having external peripheralgrooves 53. These plungers are generally of three types. One type shownin Fig. 2 is provided with a female threaded insert 54 embedded thereinand comprising a hollow tubular portion 55 the lower open end of whichis spaced only slightly above the upper surface of a concave recess 56formed in the bottom surface of plunger 52.

4 The upper end of tubular portion 55 is formed in tegral with anenlarged internally threaded portion 57. It will thus be seen that byrotating rod 25, the externally threaded member 31 may be screwed intothe internally threaded portion '57 of plunger 52, thereby securingplunger 52 to rod 25. Thus rod '25 may be pulled upwardly in anaspirating action to draw plunger 52 upwardly within cartridge 16.

Referring to Fig. 8, there is shown a second type of plunger designated152 having a male threaded securing element 153 in the form of a hollowtube externally threaded at 154 and having a lower portion 155 embeddedwithin plunger 152. The lower open end of element 153 is spaced abovethe top surface of concave recess 155. It will thus be seen thatrotation of rod 25 will cause the threaded portion 154 of securingelement to be screwed into the internally threaded bore 32 of member 31.

The third type of cartridge plunger (not shown) generally in use is ofthe non-aspirating type and is devoid of male or female threadedsecuring elements. This plunger type is adapted to be merely pusheddownwardly and for this purpose the sleeve 30 is rotated on rod 25,until its lower end surface 30' is moved downwardly into a commonhorizontal plane with the lower end surface 31' of member 31. Thesurfaces 30', 31 thus cooperate to form a relatively large abutmentsurface adapted to engage the top surface of this third type of plungerto urge the latter downwardly in response to inward movement of rod 25.

It will thus be seen that member 31 and sleeve 30 en- A needle retainingmember 67 is provided with an externally threaded portion 68 screwedinto the internaJly threaded bore portion 63 and abuts against the lowersurface of conical needle hub 66 to urge the latter upwardly and wedgeit securely within the tapered bore portion 62. The exterior surface ofneedle retaining member 67 is knurled at 69 so as to be easily grippedand rotated. An axial opening 70 through retaining member 67 receivesthe intermediate portion of needle 65.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 6, numeral 89 indicates a hollow tubularauxiliary member having an open internally threaded upper end at 81adapted to be screwed onto the externally threaded portion 60 at thelower end of tube 12. The opposite wall portions of auxiliary member 80are slotted at 82, '83 to provide a pair of resilient finger portions84, 85 for gripping therebetween a second or additional cartridge 116.The latter is similar in construction to cartridge 16 described aboveand able the syringe to utilize cartridges having all three types ofplungers generally in use.

The lower or inner portion of spacer element 35 is counterbored at 58 toreceive the upper portion of cartridge 16, the upper end of the latterabutting against a shoulder 59 formed on the interior wall surface ofspacer element 35. It will thus be seen that bearing member 22 may berotated so as to be adjusted downwardly with respect to tube 12 andthereby securely clamp cartridge 16 between the lower end of spacerelement 35 and bottom wall 20 of tube 12. Cartridge 16, shown asconsiderably'shorter and narrower than the maximum size cartridge whichmay be utilized with syringe 11, may be replaced by cartridges of othersizes by unscrewing and removing bearing member 22 and then replacingspacer element 35 with a different spacer element having a longer orshorter length or a different diameter, as may be appropriate. For thelargest size cartridge, the spacer element is dispensed with entirelyand the end surface 34 of cylindrical portion 33 of bearing member 22abuts directly against the upper end of the cartridge to retain thelatter securely within tube 12.

The lower end of tube 12 is provided with a reduced portion 60 havingexternal threads at 61 and provided with an axial bore, the inner end ofthe latter being tapered at 62 and the outer end being internallythreaded at 63. An axial opening 64 extends through bottom wall 20. andcommunicates with tapered bore 62. A hollow hypodermic needle 65 isprovided with a conical hub 66 secured thereto and mounted within thetapered bore portion 62, needle 65 extending upwardly through opening 64and piercing plug 49 and diaphragm 50 of cartridge cap 39.

like reference numerals are applied to its various elements, except thatcartridge 116 contains a tablet or powder material which is to bedissolved, such as penicillin.

The upper end of slot 83 is provided with a radially inwardly projectingflange 86 acting as a stop engaging the cartridge cap 39 to limit upwardmovement of cartridge 116 as the latter is slid upwardly through thelower open end of auxiliary member 80. During this upward movement, thelower end of needle 65 will penetrate cap 39.

At the lower end of cartridge 116, plunger 52 is provided with an airvent means 87 comprising a knob 88 having a hollow needle 89therethrough, needle 89 extending through threaded insert 54 andcommunicating at its inner end with the interior of cartridge 116. Inoperation, the entire assembly shown in Fig. 5 is inverted and the fluidin cartridge 16 is injected into cartridge 116 to dissolve tablet T. Therod 25 is then pulled outwardly in an aspirating action to draw thesolution from cartridge 116 back into cartridge 16. Auxiliary member andcartridge 116 are then removed and the solution in cartridge 16 is thenready for injection in the usual manner.

The advantage of positively threading the member 31 of rod 25 to plunger52 of cartridge 16 will thus be apparent. Another function of thisarrangement is to permit an "aspirating action whereby the plunger 52may be withdrawn slightly in an aspirating movement to determine if ablood vessel has been pierced by needle 65, the blood being readilyobservable through openings 14, 15 of tube 12.

Referring now to Fig. 7, there is disclosed another em bodiment of theinvention indicated generally at 120 and comprising an integral tube 122similar to tube 12 and having corresponding reference numerals appliedto like parts thereof. A rod 123 is reciprocally slidable within tube122 and is provided with a cylindrical piston portion 124 closelyfitting the interior of tube 122 and a knob portion 125 at its upperend. It will thus be obvious that rod 123 may be urged downwardly withintube 122 so that a fluid to be injected may be aspirated into tube 122in the manner described above. Rod 123 is then urged downwardly toinject the fluid through needle 165, by pressing downwardly on knobportion 125.

Needle extends through and is fixed within a needle retainer 167 havingan externally-threaded portion 168 formed integral with a conicalportion 169. The latter fits within a tapered bore 170 formed in thereduced portion 60 of tube 122 and threaded portion 168 is screwed intothe internally-threaded bore 63 of portion 60. The upper end of hollowneedle 165 is in sealed communication with bore 64.

It will be seen that tube 122 is substantially similar to tube 12,whereby rod 123 may be removed for replacement by hearing member 22, rod25 and spacer element 35 to adapt syringe 120 for use with cartridgesofthe type employed with syringe 11. In this event, needle 1'65 andretainer 167 are removed and replaced by the needle construction shownin Figs. 2 and 5- or by any other suitable construction providing aneedle having' an' upperpointed endpiercing thediaphragnr of thecartridge-cap.

Referring again to Fig; 8; the cartridge 16a therein is ofa-widertypethan cartridge'lfi" ofFig; 2. Spacer elementi35a isalso widerto: accommodate cartridge 16a and fits'snugly against the interiorsurface of tube 12. The lower end ofsp'acer element 35a is provided withan enlarged flange 58a abutting against the upper end of cartridge: 16a.

Itis to be: understood that" the specific embodiments disclosed aremerely illustrative and are not to limit the scope off the invention. asdelineated in. the appended claims'unless' necessarilyso limited by theprior art.

I claim:

' 1'. In an aspiratorycartridge" syringe, an" integral tube adapted toreceive a cartridge having a closure at its bottom end and a slidableplunger at itstop end, one end'of said tube being threaded andbein-g'open, an in"- tegral bearing member having threaded meansintegral therewith in engagement with said threaded tube end and mountedon the latter, a rod reciprocally shdably mounted in said bearing memberand extending inward- 1y; into-said'tube and havingone end projectingvoutward 1y from'i said bearing member, and; threaded means on theinnerend of the rod for. alternatively engaging either male or femalethreaded elements: of cartridge plungers, said? threaded meansvcomprising an externally threaded member on: the inner end of. saidrodand extending inwardly," therefrom and having aninternally-threadedopening; a portion of said rod beingiexternally threaded adjacent theinner end thereof,,and an'internally threaded sleeve in. threadedengagement with said threaded rod portion, said sleeve being therebyadjustablyimoveable axially of the rod to. selectably position the innerend of the sleeve either outwardly of the inner end of said threadedmember o1=in-a common plane with said inner end of the threaded memberin whi'ch': latter position the inner ends of both the sleeve and thethreaded member cooperate to provide an abutment means for engagingcartridge plungers of the type devoid of threaded connecting elements.

2. In a cartridge syringe, a tube adapted to receive a cartridge havinga slidable plunger, said tube having a forward end formed with a stopshoulder, a rod reciprocally movable within said tube and projectingoutwardly from the rear end of the tube, a pair of hand engageable meansadjacent said rear end of said tube, and on the projecting portion ofthe rod, respectively, rigid strut like spacer means removable mountedwithin said tube and shdable therein for engaging the rear end of acartridge within said tube, a bearing member screwed to the rear end ofthe tube for engaging the spacer means to stop the latter againstmovement with respect to the tube, and for unyieldingly pressing saidspacer against said cartridge to press said cartridge against saidshoulder, said bearing member being formed with an axial passage throughwhich said rod passes, the inner end of said rod having threaded meansfor alternately engaging either male or female threaded elements of saidcartridge plunger.

3. A syringe as recited in claim 2 wherein said threaded means comprisesan externally threaded member on the inner end of said rod and extendinginwardly therefrom and having an internally-threaded opening.

4. In a syringe as recited in claim 2, said spacer means comprising atubular element coaxial with said tube, the inner end of said elementabutting against the end of the cartridge when the latter is placedwithin the tube, said tubular element having adjacent its outer endmeans engaging said bearing member within said tube, said threaded meanson the inner end of the rod having an externally threaded memberextending inwardly there from; said externally threaded member having aninternallythreadedbore therein.

52 he cartridge'syringe, atube adapted to receive a cartridge having aslidable plunger, a rod reciprocally movable within said tube andprojecting outwardly at one end thereof; a pair of hand-engageable meansadjacent said one'end of the tube and on the projecting portion' oftherod, respectively, spacer means removably mounted within said tube forengaging acartridge to restrain the" latter against movement within thetube and meanswithin the tube for engaging said spacer means torestrainthe latter against movement with respect to the tube, the inner end ofsaid rod having threaded means for alternatively engaging either male orfemale threaded elements of cartridge plungers, said threaded meanscomprising an' externally threaded member on the inner endof said rod"and extending inwardly therefrom and having an internally threadedopening, a sleeve, and means'mounting'the sleeve on the inner end ofthe'rod formovem'ent axially'thereo-f to selectably position theinnerend'of-the-sleeve in'a' desired relation withrespect tothe innerend of said threaded member.

6; In a cartridge syringe, a tube adapted to receive a cartridge havinga slidable plunger, arod reciprocally movable within said tube andprojecting outwardly at one 5 end thereof, a pair of hand-engageablemeans adjacent' said oneend' of the tube and on the projecting portion'of'the' rod, respectively, a spacer means removably mounted withinsaid-tube for engaging a cartridge in the tube-to restrain the' latteragainst movement within the tube and means" within the tube for engagingsaid spacer-means'to'restrain the-latter against movement with respectto the" tube, the inner end of said rod having threaded fmeans" foralternatively engaging either male or female threaded elements ofcartridge plungers, said threaded means'comprising anexternally-threaded member on the inner end" of said rodand extendinginwardly therefrom and" having an internally-threaded opening, saidspacer means comprising a tubular element coaxial withsaid. tube; the"inner end of said element being adapted to abut against the endofacartridge when the latter is placed within the tube, said tubularelement having adjacent its outer end means for engaging said engagingmeans Within the tube, the inner end of the rod being externallythreaded, and an internally threaded sleeve in threaded engagement withsaid threaded inner end of the rod, said inner end of the rod and saidsleeve being located Within said tubular element,

7. In a cartridge syringe, a tube adapted to receive a cartridge havinga slidable plunger, one end of said tube being open, threaded means onsaid one end of the tube, a threaded bearing member in threadedengagement with said threaded means, a rod reciprocally slidable in saidbearing member and having an inner portion within said tube and an outerportion outwardly of said bearing member, means on the inner end of therod for engaging the plunger of a cartridge when the latter is placedwithin the tube, and a spacer element removably mounted Within the tubeand having one end engaging said bearing member and an opposite endadapted to abut against an end of said cartridge, one end of the spacedelement being provided with a cylindrical portion, said bearing memberhaving a cylindrical portion extending projecting inwardly within thetube, one of said cylindrical portions extending Within the other ofsaid cylindrical portions, and interengaging abutment surfaces on saidcylindrical portions to prevent outward movement of the spacer elementwith respect to the bearing member.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said engaging means on the innerend of the rod comprises an externally threaded member having aninternally threaded bore, the inner end of the rod being of largerdiameter than said threaded member and being externally threaded, and aninternally threaded sleeve in threaded engagement with said threadedinner end of the rod, said spacer element being of hollow cylindricalconfiguration and surrounding said sleeve and said threaded inner end ofthe rod.

9. The combination of claim 8, the end of said tube opposite said oneend being provided with an integral end wall having a reduced portionintegral therewith, said reduced portion having external threads and aninternal bore extending inwardly from the end of said reduced portion,the outer end of said bore being internally threaded and the inner endof said bore being tapered inwardly, said end wall having an openingtherethrough coaxial with said tube, a needle extending through saidopening and said bore, a conical hub secured to an intermediate portionof said needle and located within said tapered end of the bore, a needleretaining member having an externally threaded portion in threadedengagement within said internally threaded outer end of the bore andabutting said needle hub to retain the needle infixed relation to thetube, and a tubular auxiliary member having an internally threaded endin engagement with said external threads of the reduced portion, theopposite end of said auxiliary member being open to receive a cartridgeslidable thereinto.

10. A cartridge syringe comprising a tube adapted to receive acartridge, a rod slidably mounted in one end of the tube, the end ofsaid tube opposite said one end being provided with an integral end wallhaving a reduced portion integral therewith, said reduced portion havingexternal threads and an internal bore extending inwardly from the end ofsaid reduced portion, the outer end of said bore being internallythreaded and the inner end of said bore being tapered inwardly, said endwall having an opening therethrough coaxial with said tube, a needleextending through said opening and said bore, a conical hub secured toan intermediate portion of said needle and located within said taperedend of the bore, a needle retaining member having an externally threadedportion in threaded engagement within said internally threaded outer endof the bore and abutting said needle hub to retain the needle in fixedrelation to the tube, and a tubular auxiliary member having aninternally threaded end in engagement with said external 8 threads ofthe reduced portion, the opposite end of said auxiliary member beingopen to receive a cartridge slidable thereinto.

11. A cartridge syringe comprising a tube adapted to receive acartridge, a rod slidably mounted in one end of the tube, the end ofsaid tube opposite said one end being provided with an integral end wallhaving a reduced portion integral therewith, said reduced portion havingexternal threads and an internal bore extending inwardly from the end ofsaid reduced portion, the outer end of said bore being internallythreaded, said end Wall having an opening therethrough coaxial with saidtube, a needle extending through said opening and said bore, a hubsecured to an intermediate portion of said needle and located withinsaid bore, a needle retaining member having an externally threadedportion in threaded engagement within said internally threaded outer endof the bore and abutting said needle hub to retain the needle in fixedrelation to the tube, and a tubular auxiliary member having aninternally threaded end in engagement with said external threads of thereduced portion, the opposite end of said auxiliary member being open toreceive a cartridge slidable thereinto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.17,906 Smith Dec. 16, 1930 1,574,579 Jones Feb. 23,1926 1,604,224Friedman Oct. 26, 1926 1,624,327 Friedman Apr. 12, 1927 1,683,349 HeinSept. 4, 1928 1,798,142 Cressler Mar. 31, 1931 2,193,489 Nevin Mar, 12,1940 2,345,302 Smith Mar. 28, 1944 2,505,307 Smith Apr. 25, 19502,555,878 Drabicki June 5, 1951 2,591,706 Lockhart Apr. 8, 1952 FOREIGNPATENTS 611,290 Great Britain Oct. 27, 1948 938,355 France Sept. 12,1949

